Secondhand Hard Drive Study results released next week

14 Feb. 2014

Next week NAID will release the findings of the NAID-ANZ Secondhand Hard Drive Study, which only recently concluded. The study, in which 50 randomly purchased hard drives were subjected to forensic analysis, resulted in a significant percentage of recycled hard drives containing personal information. Some of those drives were previously used by organizations that have a legal obligation to protect such information.

The study will have implications around the world, according to NAID CEO Bob Johnson.

“Obviously, the people of Australia, including data protection officials, will be concerned by the results,” said Johnson. “But no one should think this is an isolated problem.”

According to the most recent estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 15 million computers per year reach the end of their life in Australia.

“Even a small percent of the total number would be unacceptable,” added Johnson. “Given the study’s results, it would be hard to ignore the situation.”